The East Midlands Cycle Route

Planned by the sustainable transport charity 'Sustrans' the East Midlands Cycle Route begins life in the centre of Oxford and follows the waymarked National Cycle Routes 6 and 51 through Bicester to Milton Keynes at which point route 51 continues east to Cambridge whilst route 6 turns north to Leicester, Derby and Nottingham.

I cycled the Oxford to Milton Keynes section in December 2011 - see my blog of that date. Unfortunately I took no photographs on that ride, only the one above on the approach to Milton Keynes. From Milton Keynes I continued to Cambridge (the University Way) with no intentions of turning north.

However, a house move to the Midlands a few years ago prompted me to pull out the route map and make plans to ride the 'northern' section. 

Finding I had to be in London for three days gave me the chance to make my way to Milton Keynes and continue the route.

Friday 10 September - Milton Keynes to Leicester

The 'parting of the ways'.

The 'University Way' continues east and over the bridge to Cambridge whilst the 'East Midlands Cycle Route' turns north at Tinkers Bridge on the Grand Union canal at Milton Keynes.

Following the canal and using the many cycle routes around Milton Keynes before meeting quiet country roads the route makes it's way to Northampton where a heron awaits it's breakfast alongside the river Nene . . .

. . . and I enjoy mine in the local park.

From here the route follows the Brampton Valley Way, A 16-mile 'rail trail' along the route of a former railway line. On the way passing the Northampton and Lamport heritage railway.

'Interest' to the ride is added by having to pass through two tunnels.

The rail trail ends in Market Harborough and the route heads through the town to the canal, on a spur of the Grand Union it left some miles earlier.

Rubbish pulled from the canal, but nothing of use!

In memory of those who once worked the canals.
 

The route into Leicester is along the Great Central Way - another former railway route.

Saturday 11 September - Leicester to Derby and Nottingham

Following the river Soar out of Leicester the route passes the National Space Centre which is well worth a visit, even for those not particularly interested in space travel.

Reflecting the space theme, LOROS, the local hospice charity has installed 40 'model' spaceships, forming a trail around the city. These will then be auctioned off for the charity at the end of 2021.

The statue in Abbey Park of Cardinal Wolsey (1473-1530) always seems to look annoyed at something. Set within 89 acres the park has 'something for everyone', from formal gardens to a boating lake, tennis courts, miniature railway, woodlands and much more.

After Abbey park and Watermead country park the route once more returns to quiet roads through Mountsorrel and Quorn, home of the once famous 'Quorn Hunt'. 

The hunt involved horse riders following a pack of hounds on the trail of a fox, which was then chased through the countryside until finally being caught. The hunt supporters say the fox was then shot, the opponents say it was torn to pieces by the dogs.

Fox hunting was banned in 2004 and much against the claims of the hunt supports at the time, the countryside is not over-run by foxes. The hunt still meets on a regular basis and rides - according to their web-site 'within the constraints of the law'.

North of Loughborough the route is once again on 'Green Lanes', which is pleasant considering it passes over the motorway at one point, what a contrast!

On the Cloud Trail at Breedon-on-the-Hill look out for the cuckoo's and their eggs.

Leaving the birds to themselves and after a short stretch of canal path the route is a tarmac path all the way to Derby.

The end of the route on Exeter bridge in Derby - that is if you are not intending to travel to Nottingham.

For those who choose to go to Nottingham the route loops back on itself and makes it's way through Draycott to Long Eaton.

The original version of the route took in Attenborough nature reserve, passing by the lakes before joining the Beeston canal to Nottingham. The revised version now avoids this and follows a route through houses and cycle paths along wide - and sometimes not so wide - boulevards into Nottingham, with views of the castle along the way, which is in fact build in the 'country house' style after the original was demolished following a fire in 1831.

A deviation takes the route back to the canal alongside the former warehouse and headquarters of Fellows, Morton and Clayton, the canal haulage company. Now housing a canal museum and restaurants.

The 'official' end of the route, Nottingham railway station.

At a something under 200 miles longs this route is an attractive three-day journey. Accommodation in my case was at Premier Inns in both Milton Keynes and Leicester, both only a short ride from the route.